How to get HBO's Max for free

When HBO Max renamed itself to Max, it added a much deeper library of content than the previous offering, which mostly focused on the previous and current shows on HBO. Now, Max, which is owned by Warner Bros. Discovery, has integrated other WBD offerings like Turner Sports and Bleacher Report into its platform, giving customers NBA, NHL, NCAA March Madness, MLB, US soccer, Bellator, and more live and archived sports content. There is also Discovery content like Naked and Afraid and 90 Day Fiancé, along with award-winning series like Abbott Elementary, Friends, and more.

Of course, you can still enjoy all the new HBO series like The Last of Us or Max originals like Hacks, as well as classics like The Sopranos. Any news junkie can watch shows on CNN to stay up on what’s going on in the world, while DC Comics fans can watch movies and TV series in the DC Extended Universe. Max offers so much content and seems to only be growing. It was recently announced that a new bundle of streaming services will soon be offered to U.S. customers, as Hulu, Disney+, and Max will be a combined subscription plan later this summer. Max was just made available to stream in Europe for the first time earlier this week.

But how do you know if Max is worth it for you? What if you want to test it out before you commit to it? Unfortunately, there aren’t any standalone free trials anymore, as there used to be when it was just HBO Max. But there are a few ways to get a free subscription of Max included with other subscriptions. Here’s how.

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What are the price tiers for Max?

There are multiple you can choose from

House of the Dragon characters standing over a table.

HBO

Currently, if you want to purchase the streaming service, there are multiple options you can choose from. They are split into monthly and yearly prices, so you can choose the one that works best for you. The ad-supported options are cheaper and cost $10 per month or $100 per year. The ad-free option is $16 per month or $150 per year, and the Ultimate ad-free option is $20 per month or $200 per year.

The difference between the plans mostly has to do with how and where you can stream. The basic ad-supported plan allows you to stream from two devices at once and offers its content in Full HD resolution. The ad-supported options give you both of those criteria and adds 30 downloads to watch on the go. The Ultimate ad-free subscriptions let you stream from four devices at once, offer 100 downloads to watch on the go, and give you 4K Ultra HD resolution and Dolby Atmos audio when available. The Bleacher Report add-on, typically valued at $10 per month, is free if you sign up for a subscription.

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Enjoy free episodes for free

Don’t pay or log in

HBO / Pocket-lint

For nearly each show, it is the premiere episode that is available to stream for free, giving you an idea of what the show is like.

Anybody can enjoy some of Max’s offerings for free whenever they want. Max offers free episodes for many of its shows that customers can watch. This is the only version of a free trial that Max offers. You can just go to this site and stream free episodes of shows like The Sympathizer, The Last of Us, Euphoria, Succession, Curb Your Enthusiasm, and more. For nearly each show, it is the premiere episode that is available to stream for free, giving you an idea of what the show is like.

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Cricket Wireless gives you a free subscription

AT&T canceled theirs

Peacemaker

AT&T stopped running a subscription plan promo with Max last year. But Cricket Wireless, a subsidiary of the telecom giant, still offers one. If you upgrade your wireless plan to a $60 per month unlimited plan, you are eligible to get an ad-supported Max plan included for free with it. If you stream Max on your Cricket Wireless phone, it will be in Standard Definition — only online are you able to watch HD content. If you already have a $60 per month plan, you can contact Cricket to set up your Max subscription.

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Pay for HBO with your cable plan

You’ll have access to Max

If you have a cable subscription and pay for HBO as one of the channels, you’re more than likely able to watch Max for free on the streaming platform. Verizon, Xfinity, DirecTV, Cox Communications, and Spectrum are just a few of the providers that offer this. What you can do is download the Max app on your smart TV or log onto the Max website on your computer or phone. When you’re logging in, you can pick Choose Your Provider and then log into your cable provider. If you have HBO as a part of your plan, you will be given access to Max to stream.